Happy 2009!

Happy New Year to everyone! We have many new plans on bringing new yarns and other creations into existence this year. As always, the blog will be updated with all the new creations.

This month, I plan on diving back into the yarn business. I have been in my cave long enough. Ha!

Keep your eyes open for loads of new handspun yarns and even a hand knit scarf here and there. The Etsy Shop, will be restocked and I am debating doing Toad Suck Daze again this year.

Yay for the new year and all the new days ahead! ♥

My Kids are BAD!

The big joke in our family has always been when you take the first letter of each of our boys names and put them together they spell "BAD". My step-mom thought it would be funny to make them shirts and take a picture beside her Christmas tree this year. She then submitted it to our local utility company website page and low and behold:

If you want to see it live, go fast to http://www.conwaycorp.com/ and check them out.

From my family to yours, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! ♥

Finished a BOOK!

I know, I know! It's insane...I finished a blanket AND a book. The last book I finished was the third book of Harry Potter, way way way back in the day when they released the forth Harry Potter. I am a strange sort, I hate cliff hangers so...when the Harry Potter series was still being released, I would not read the second book until the third book was released, then I waited to finish the third book for the forth, and so on....but, I got to the fourth book and stopped.

Needless to say, the Harry Potter series is STILL on my list of things to finish, and surprisingly enough, I am still oblivious to the end of the series. If you know, don't spill the beans around me!

To ease myself back into the world, and I guess to help me with my lack of finishing syndrome...an old favorite novel kept creeping into mind. Watchers by Dean Koontz. I remembered reading the book when I was in high school and loved it. My sweet dog, has brought me such comfort as of late, it made me start thinking about the brilliant, genetically engineered dog, Einstein.

A brief mention to my wonderful dad about the urge to read the book again got him sifting through his large inventory of books. He could not find Watchers, so he actually ran out to a used book store and bought the book and brought it to my house. Like I said, he's a wonderful man!

Maybe it was the guilt he went to so much trouble to actually get the book in my hands that drove me to sit down for the first couple pages, but like a knitter fascinated with every skein of yarn they can get their hands on I was soon hooked. I actually finished the book today. Only took me a couple days...in between knitting last minute Christmas gift fits (which I actually finished a couple!).

So, hum....now, where's that darn Harry Potter book?

Fallen

OK, so you may think I have fallen off the face of the earth. It's someone true. Things in life tend to take you by surprise and that about sums up the year of 2008 for me.

You know how when you think you know a person, you know the way they think, the way they act, you even know their very heart. When the world itself tends to revolve around the very fact that this person is this way. Then, you find out that person is not that way, and they do something so shocking it knocks your world out of orbit and you spiral into the realm of the unknown. Well, that is what has happened in my world. Sound overly dramatic? Well, hello??? What else would you expect from me?

Trust is such a hard thing to rebuild. Once it has been shattered, what do you do? I have been trying to rebuild the lace threads of trust in my relationship. It is darn near impossible. I have a bolt of fine alpaca lace weight (fingering weight) yarn that is crazy cool. It is so very fine and yummy to touch, the problem is, it's so fine, to put it into a skein to paint is a nightmare! Every time I go to put it on my swift it breaks. It is so delicate, it is ridiculous.

This is how I feel like trust is. My trust has been broken, repeatedly! So, now, just like that fine cone of yummy yarn, my trust sits in a cabinet for me to admire, but not to release. It stays bound up and completely useless for the world.

To start to rebuild trust, like that yarn, I have to let a tiny bit out at a time and then watch the skein grow. Slowly, and hopefully soon, the trust will rebuild into a beautiful skein ready to paint and show to the world. But for now, it goes to slowly to share. So, I sit, and do not blog, and do not paint yarn, and do not spin yarn, and do nothing. Bleh...I am pretty tired of doing nothing. It's about time I dive back into my work, it could be the very thing that helps get my world back on orbit.

Trust Life 3, 4x4 original collage print, ready to hang....for sale on ETSY by
alteredgirl. CLICK HERE to check it out.

Until my next post...which better be soon!!! Happy crafting! ♥

Working myself to Death

Last Halloween, this lovely skeleton was hanging up in my husband's office. This year I can relate to this so much!

I have taken on a second job, doing in bound sales calls from home for an awesome company. This job has really taken over all my spare time. I have been working anywhere from 20 hours to 30 hours a week. Let me tell you that doesn't leave much time for spinning and painting yarn!

But, guess what? I finished my blanket! I know, I know...I actually finished a blanket. It's a miracle.

Drew's football games are starting to come to an end. It doesn't look like his team will make the playoffs. Darn it! Also, on the football news, most of you know what a die hard Razorback fan I am. I scored some pretty amazing tickets from a person my sister works with for the November 1st game! Yay! I can not wait!

Hope you are having a wonderful month and enjoying the fall weather. Happy crafting!

VOTE VOTE VOTE

With the elections right around the corner, I am sure you are all as tired of these words as I am. Yes, the elections are important, don't get me wrong. I am just so tired of hearing about voting.

But, this is a bit different. Guess what I am going to do.....YES, ask you to vote! But, not for our country...for a small country farm. Many times I have talked about Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm. You know how near and dear this farm is to my heart. I have been a share holder for over a year, and as long as Susan has it in her to offer the shares, I will continue to stay involved.

This is where I need you. The farm has been nominated to win a $5000 technical makeover. This is an amazing opportunity. With this money, Susan plans on using the money to update her computer and to set up a webcam system. She already does an amazing job of keeping us involved in her farm, but with the cameras, we can take a peek at the lambs anytime. Plus she plans on putting a camera in the lambing barn, so when the little ones are born, we can all take part in the joy.

So, here comes the request...please go VOTE! It is super simple. You do not have to register to vote or anything. All you have to do is click the "like it" tab, that's it. She only needs about 400 votes to win and it goes until tomorrow night. When I started writing this blog she was at 1,152 votes.

Please CLICK HERE to vote.

Here is a video of Susan talking about her farm and showing off all the animals. There is also a birthing moment on the video, just wanted to warn you, if you are a bit squeamish.



Also, please, please, please pass this on! The voting closes tomorrow and it would just be awesome to see her win. Thank you so much! ♥

By the way, when I finished writing this, the vote count was already at 1,172! Go Go Go!